SPEND THE DAY WITH US AND SEE THE DIFFERENCEThis isn’t your run-of-the-mill office block. This is a new kind of workspace. A space where every day is different. Where, from the start of your day to the end, you’ll find moments of energy, inspiration, and community.

Our manifesto

A flexible workspace

Article: Wellbeing in the workplace

Dedicated coworking spaceIn the beating heart of the city

Fuel your day

Article: The joy of cycling

We’re green

Article: Decisions, decisions

Technical specification

Location map06:45WAKE UP READY TO

FACE THE DAY

CONTENTS

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38Creative community

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We like people who work differently. Who aren’t afraid to do things their way. Who want fresh air and fresh thinking.

Communities, not companies. Interactions, not transactions.

Who put people first. And care about the environment.

Who believe an office should be a playground not a prison. A space to think, create, connect, and breathe.

To meet old friends and make new ones. To experience everything our wonderful city has to offer.

Who think no two days should be the same. And anticipate tomorrow.

Because life’s too short to spend in a humdrum office.

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OUR MANIFESTO

We put people first

We think no two days should be the same

We want to look after the planet

We care about interactions, not transactions

We’re a playground, not a prison

We value freedom of expression

We’ve put wellbeing at our heart. We champion happiness, health and productivity.

We believe, when it comes to a productive workplace, culture is everything. And being based in the beating heart of Manchester,

we’re surrounded by the stuff.

We all have a responsibility to take care of the planet we call home. That’s why we’ve put sustainability at the heart of everything we do.

Social encounters and conversations mean a lot to us. Our building is designed

to bring people together.

Our space feels inspiring, energising and stimulating. Because that’s the sort

of place great work gets done.

We think a workspace should reflect you - the people who work there. It should be flexible

enough to adapt to your needs.

OUR MANIFESTO

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WINDMILL GREENWINDMILL GREEN

It started with sustainability - a desire for companies to ‘go green’ in a bid to save money and give the environment a helping hand.

Now, the focus has shifted to wellbeing, a philosophy that’s moved from keeping trees happy to keeping people happy.

Why all this talk about wellbeing?As society has shifted towards affluence, we’ve moved from dreaming about acquiring objects to taking them for granted. The experience economy has turned ‘amazing’ into ‘expected’ and our increasingly connected world has expanded our worldview.

We only need to look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to understand that now our basic and psychological needs have been met, we’ve turned to self-actualisation and achieving one’s full potential. Although self-actualisation isn’t about treating illness (something which sits under ‘basic needs’), for many, it’s about reaching peak physical, mental and emotional performance.

Hence the introduction of ambient wellness - health-boosting features seamlessly embedded into the work

WELLBEING IN THE WORKPL ACE

environment. Ultimately, people want to be healthy, but lack the motivation to get themselves there. According to research from the Mayo Clinic, fewer than 3% of Americans meet the basic criteria for a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular exercise and not smoking.

Businesses are starting to recognise this desire for integrated wellness in their spaces. With the rise of stress-related illnesses and longer working hours - 13% of the UK working population work more than 49 hours a week - wellbeing is seenas more vital than ever.

In 2015/16, 11.7 million working days were lost thanks to stress, depression or anxiety. And in 2015, stress accounted for 37% of all work-related health cases.

Starbucks recently partnered with Philips to transform four of their branches into EnergyUp cafés by using EnergyUp lamps. By mimicking natural daylight, these lamps are designed to have a mood-lifting, revitalising effect after just20 minutes.

And in LA, meditation app Headspace worked with a local architect to install meditation pods around the city. Their aim is to place them in airports, schools, parks and stations.

Why does wellbeing matter?Although the benefits of wellbeing in the workplace are hard to track, they’re clear to see. In fact, there’s a whole host of benefits: productivity increases, healthcare costs go down, fewer employees leave, and recruitment and retention are both

helped when a company focuses on the wellbeing of its employees. In fact, for many companies, it’s non-negotiable when it comes to keeping people on the books. Wellbeing is so important, recent studies show that workers would rather have work-life balance than a pay rise.

The role of a buildingMany elements of wellbeing come down to individual companies and their culture.

In addition to the importance of company culture, the building itself has a bigrole to play. In fact, the physical workplace is one of the top three factors affectingjob satisfaction.

The people behind The WELL Building Standard have this to say: “Our built environment has a profound impact on our health, wellbeing and productivity...[it] can shape our habits and choices, regulate our sleep-wake cycle, drive us towards healthy and unhealthy choices, and passively influence our health through the quality of our surroundings”.

As HKS Architects’ COO Kirk Teske says, “Those of us in the architectural profession have a greater ability to improve public health than those of usin the medical profession”.

WELLBEING IN THE WORKPLACE

“Detailed analysis of a wide range of research studies has suggested that there are 11 key factors for increasing wellbeing to boost performance in general.”

ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

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PARK YOUR BIKE

Manchester’s a great city for cyclists, with new cycle lanes making it even safer and easier to get in and out of town. So we’ve made sure Windmill Green is great for cyclists too.

You can pedal right into the building using the dedicated cycle entrance, hang your bike on the racks, cool off in one of the many showers and chuck your stuff in a secure locker. And if you get a puncture, you can nip into the on-site bike centre for a quick fix.

08:04PARK YOUR BIKE

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FUEL YOUR DAYOur ground-floor café - which spills out onto the pavement - provides healthy sustenance throughout the day, from your morning breakfast to a mid-afternoon pot of tea.

It will be dedicated to offering a range of food sourced from independent, local suppliers, making it the perfect place to meet friends, catch up with clients, or just sit and get some work done in a buzzing environment.

08:31GRAB A CROISSANT

AT THE CAFÉ

FUEL YOUR DAY

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WE’RE GREEN

WE’RE GREENBuildings account for 40% of the carbon we generate as a society. That’s why we’ve built Windmill Green with sustainability at its heart. So you can work ethically and keep your running costs down. You’ll find a solar power system on the roof, efficient LED lighting on the ceilings, clever monitoring of power and water, and a whole set of showers, lockers and bike racks on the ground floor for cyclists. We’re even doing our bit for the bee population - we’ve got some hives on the roof.

We are on track to be the second building in Manchester to have achieved an ‘Outstanding’ BREEAM rating.

In fact, our green approach was one of the things that inspired the building’s bright green terracotta exterior, which takes its cues from the wonderful Victorian architecture around us, including the Town Hall and the Midland Hotel.

But being responsible is about more than just being green. It’s also about working closely with the local community to bring Windmill Green’s surrounding area to life. Which is why we’ve helped local design graduates gain valuable experience by asking them to contribute designs for the hoardings surrounding our building construction, and provided space for free to local arts students for classes and exhibitions.

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DECISIONS, DECISIONS

There are three clear consequences.

First, the occupier is more exacting

about what they need and why they

need it. They are also better informed,

advised and market aware than ever

before. Second, the time-scales over

which decisions are made tend to be

longer given their gravity. Active

requirements and searches are coming

to the market much further in advance

of the time at which commitment to a

property option is required. Third, the

range of stakeholders in the decision-

making process has become broader,

encompassing not just the CEO but

also the CFO, the HR director, the

IT director and, in a growing number

of cases, existing staff.

We believe contemporary real estate decision making breaks down into four keys areas:

A decision of strategic importanceThe real estate decision receives greater attention at board level than ever before. The reason is simple. There is now acceptance from business leaders that the office is far more than simply a vessel in which to place staff. In this interpretation, property decisions can serve to support a broad church of other strategic considerations such as CSR, operational productivity and efficiency enhancement, brand promotion and the attraction and retention of the talent required to drive the competitive advantage of the business.

BY DR LEE ELLIOTT

HEAD OF COMMERCIAL RESEARCH, KNIGHT FRANK

It’s about people rather than bricks and mortarIndeed, the HR director is involved earlier in the real estate decision- making process and has a powerful influence over the ultimate outcome. Again the reason is simple. People constitute around 55% of the cost base of any business. There is widespread recognition that a poor location or realestate decision can create costly churn in the workforce – staff reinstatement costs run at circa 150% of salary.

This cost is compounded by labour market conditions, which can best be described as tight, given the UK is currently running at record levels of employment. Crucially, there are specific skills and talents required by modern businesses as they react and respond to a digital age.

Recruiting the technical and creative talent required is costly, competitive and cannot be compromised. In this sense, real estate becomes part of a corporate talent strategy whereby the quality of the workplace, its vibrancy, amenity, services and its ability to accommodate different ways of working are all integral to winning the ‘war for talent’ and thus support business competitiveness.

Increasing cost sensitivityAlthough representing no more than 15% of an occupier’s cost base, real estate is a tangible cost that can be measured and monitored. It will be scrutinised and there will be a cost sensitivity that shapes market demand

going forward. But there are two clear distinctions from the cost sensitivity of the past.

First, the occupier’s focus is firmly on total occupational costs – not just rental costs – and as such business rates and service charge costs are also considered.

Second, and linked to the points already made, real estate costs will not be considered in isolation. We will not return to the approach immediately following the Global Financial Crisis when real estate costs were attacked and taken back to such an extent that they actually compromised staff productivity. Businesses will be more accepting of real estate costs where a clear linkage can be made to mitigating costs in other areas of the business such as the cost of lost output or talented staff.

A decision which can shape corporate cultureBusinesses are rapidly responding to the twin pressures of a relatively low growth economic environment and the disruptive effects of both digital and emerging technology. The latter is emboldening new market entrants

across a range of sectors which further challenge the premise and performance of many traditional businesses.

This requires transformation - a transformation in the talent pool driving the business, as well as one altering the underlying corporate culture. Real estate matters in this respect. For example, many established businesses need to respond to more collaborative work-practices as well as the need for more innovative behaviours within the business.

The configuration, character and style of the workplace are essential in embodying and facilitating this transformation.

So, what at first glance appears to be a relatively simple decision-making process is in fact an ever more complex endeavour. Real estate decision making is strategically significant, balancing costs against operational needs, and is at the very forefront of attempts to transform the workforce and culture of business. Places and spaces that attract and retain talent will, for the modern occupier, be worth their weight in gold.

The real estate decisions made by businesses are becoming more critical and influential to business performance.

DECISIONS,DECISIONS CEO

Align to business strategy

CFOValue/return on

investment

INFLUENCE ON DECISION

HR DIRECTORWinning the war for

talent

STAFFWorkplace satisfaction

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BRAINSTORM YOUR NEXT BIG IDEA

09:12

The lower floors of Windmill Green are home to a dedicated coworking space. A place for community groups, charities, local artists, start-ups and entrepreneurs to collaborate and create in an inspiring, supportive environment.

By 2018, it’s estimated that 1 million people around the world will be using coworking space. As a result, the number of coworking spaces is on the rise - they grew to 7,800 in 2015 from 3,400 in 2013. But it still isn’t enough to meet demand.

Currently, Manchester only has a small number of shared office spaces.

That’s why, at Windmill Green, we want to create an accessible, diverse community, with access to everything the building has to offer, from the ground floor café and the excellent cycling facilities, to the beautiful roof terrace and its stunning views over the city. For a breath of fresh air, the first floor will even have its very own terrace.

BRAINSTORM YOUR NEXT B IG IDEA

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A FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE

7TH FLOOR

GROUND FLOOR

2ND - 5TH FLOOR1ST FLOOR 6TH FLOOR

9,736 SQ FT / 904 SQ M12 ,724 - 12 ,757 SQ FT /

1,182 - 1,185 SQ M

Windmill Green helps you create a unique and inspiring working environment. Nip to the café for an informal meeting, have a catch-up in one of the communal spaces or brief your team on one of Manchester’s best roof terraces.

This is a workspace that gives you everything you need to crack on and get things done. A space designed to work for you, however you like to work.

L iving wall

Apiary

Roof ter race

Feature staircase

Street-level access to retail uni ts

Open plan for maximum f lexibili ty

Co-working space

Open plan for maximum f lexibili ty

Dedicated cycle space, showers and lockers

A FLEXIBLE WORKSPACE

GROUND FLOOR

1ST FLOOR

LEISURE/RETAIL

LEISURE/RETAIL

CO-WORKINGRECEPTION

Ground floor total

CO-WORKING

CO-WORKING

ROOF TERRACE

OFFICE

OFFICE

OFFICE

OFFICE

OFFICE2ND FLOOR

3RD FLOOR

4TH FLOOR

5TH FLOOR

6TH FLOOR

7TH FLOOR

Total

932 10,032

51933297

948

5,5883,5781,048

10,214

1,182 12,724

1,184 12,753

1,185 12,755

1,185 12,757

904 9,736

107 1,160

7,627 82,131

N.B: Areas are estimates only and will be subject to final scheme, planning and measurement at practical completion

SQ MUSEIPMS 3

SQ FT

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11:26POP UPSTAIRS FOR A

QUICK MEETING

WINDMILL GREEN

SIT DOWN TO LUNCH WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES

12:27

SIT DOWN TO LUNCH WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES

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IN THE BEATING HEART OF THE CIT Y

IN THE BEATING HEART OF THE CITYA stone’s throw from Manchester Central and Manchester Town Hall, Windmill Green really is at the heart of the city. Its facilities give you everything you need to cycle to work, but its brilliant location makes it equally easy for you to bus in, drive in or grab the train.

You can jump off the tram in St Peter’s Square and walk here in just one minute. And with more and more people opting to live in the city centre, you might even be able to roll out of bed and walk to work.

And being based in the heart of Manchester’s Cultural Quarter, there are a whole host of things to do and places to visit right on your doorstep. Lose yourself in the latest page-turner at Manchester Central Library, take in an exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery or listen to some classical music at the Bridgewater Hall. 15:14

MEET A FRIEND DOWN BY THE LIVING WALL

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“ You need to get to work every day, so if you built cycling into the day it essentially takes willpower out of the equation.”

THE JOY OF CYCLING

Pedal power is on the up. More and more people in the UK are ditching the car and hopping on their bikes.

Cycling to work is an increasingly popular way to commute - according to British Cycling, more than 2 million people across the UK now cycle at least once a week. And with initiatives like the government’s Cycle To Work scheme, as well as massive investment in cycling infrastructure from local government bodies like Transport for Greater Manchester, the two-wheeled revolution is set to really take off.

Manchester, home to British Cycling, has seen 60km of new cycle lanes since 2013, with another 45km set to be completed by 2018. And with Mobike - a popular bike sharing scheme - launching across the city, cycling to work is easier and safer than ever.

Not only will cycling save you some serious pennies on your weekly commute, it could also extend your life. A recent study by the University

of Glasgow published in the British

Medical Journal, shows that those

who cycle have 46% less chance of

getting heart disease and 45% lower

risk of developing cancer, compared

with those who commute by driving or

using public transport. And the further

the commute, the greater the health

benefits. Which is a pretty compelling

argument for ditching the car keys or

season ticket and donning the lycra.

So cycling to work could even save you splashing out on that pricey gym membership. There are plenty of other benefits to cycling. Research shows that by commuting by bike, you’ll get to work in half the time of your colleagues who drive in. Which means extra time in bed. And when you’re in bed, you’ll probably find you sleep better.

A study by Stanford University School of Medicine asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 20-30 minutes every other day. The time required

for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour.

If you’ve got a big meeting or need to bash out some seriously good creative ideas, cycling to work is a great way to get the old grey matter warmed up. Cycling actually helps build new brain cells. Researchers from the University of Illinois found that a 5% improvement in cardio-respiratory fitness from cycling resulted in an improvement of up to 15% in mental tests. Not only that, but according to a study from the University of Bristol, people who exercised before work improved their time and workload management, and increased their motivation and ability to deal with stress.

What are you waiting for? There’s no better time to get those legs pumping and release some endorphins on your way to work.

THE JOY OF CYCLING

Dr Jason Gill, University of Glasgow

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18:46HEAD TO THE ROOF TERRACE

FOR A COCKTAIL AND SAY HELLO TO THE BEES

Head up to the 7th floor and you’ll find yourself on Manchester’s best roof terrace. This communal space is open to everyone in the building all year round and offers stunning 360-degree views of Manchester’s skyline and some of the city’s best architecture.

It’s the perfect space to grab some fresh air, hold an informal meeting, socialise with colleagues or entertain clients. You can even pop up and see how the bees in our hives are getting on, as there’s an apiary up there too.

HEAD TO THE ROOF TERRACE

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HEAD TO THE ROOF TERRACEWINDMILL GREEN

MARCELINE CHAI

Marceline is a graphic designer and colour lover, who after graduating from Shillington College, now works at a digital agency in East London.

“ I’m inspired by cities, diverse cultures and the little moments of daily life. The design for Windmill Green was simple - to create delightful moments people will feel when they spend time in the building. After all, it’s not just ‘another new building’ in Manchester City Centre - it offers a whole new atmosphere and way of working.”

ILLUSTRATION BY MARCELINE CHAIMARCELINECHAI.COM

ILLUSTRATION BY MARCELINE CHAIMARCELINECHAI.COM

From the start of your day to the end, you’ll find moments of energy, inspiration and community at Windmill Green. We decided to bring these moments to life.

To give us a hand, we partnered with Manchester’s Shillington College to give their recent graduates the opportunity to gain some valuable real work experience, and in the process, put their own creative stamp on these individual moments at Windmill Green. Mehul Patel, Katie Neal and Marceline Chai worked with us to create a suite of unique and inspiring designs.

While their creations are initially being used on the hoardings that surround our construction - a first for Manchester - you’ll soon see them featured throughout the finished building itself. Because we believe being surrounded by creativity can spark creativity. And Windmill Green is designed to be a space that inspires and celebrates that creativity.

A CREATIVE COMMUNIT Y

KATIE NEAL

Katie completed a degree in Architecture at Leeds before studying Graphic Design at Shillington College. She now works as a Product Designer for a large giftware company.

“ I love to incorporate handmade elements into my work, and chose simple pen illustrations to reflect Windmill Green’s fresh, modern design. The floral elements are intertwined and connected to represent the harmonious nature of the building. And of course, the hexagonal shapes were inspired by the rooftop bee apiary.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BYKATIE NEALKATIENEALDESIGN.COM

ILLUSTRATIONS BYKATIE NEALKATIENEALDESIGN.COM

MEHUL PATEL

After completing a degree in Architecture, Mehul undertook internships in China and Malta before studying design at Shillington College. He now works at a tech startup in Sheffield.

“ I found the Windmill Green brief really inspirational, especially given the large format and the fact hundreds of people would be walking past every day. I used a varied colour palette to create a bold, playful design that reflects the breadth of what the building has to offer.”

ILLUSTRATION BY MEHUL PATELMEHUL-PATEL.COM

ILLUSTRATION BY MEHUL PATELMEHUL-PATEL.COM

A CREATIVE COMMUNITY

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WiredScore “Platinum” Secured server room

Two separate comms risers with individual cable trays for each floorDark fibre pulled in both risers and available for tenant to tap intoMicrowave interconnection for instantaneous day one connectivity

Building-wide free wifi

2,350 sq ft communal roof terrace1,160 sq ft roof pavilion

Heat & Power

Measurements

Sustainability Amenities

Amenities

Enhanced Connectivity

Cool Rooftop Space

Raised access floorPressurised underfloor Denco system

Bespoke design LED consuming sub-5 W/m2 of energy

Designed for 1:8 occupancy

5.5m double height reception2.8 to 3.3m floor to ceiling height

BREEAM “Outstanding”EPC B

WELL Silver rating

5 showers (2 male, 2 female, 1 fully accessible)

17 locker units 6 WCs and 1 disabled toilet per floor

Manned reception, 24/7 fob access Two 17-person lifts

40 cycling facilities plus maintenance station

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Design by The Neighbourhood40

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Manchester Central

Palace Theatre

China Town

Piccadilly Gardens

Northern Quarter

Manchester Art Gallery

Great Northern

Beetham Tower

Deansgate

Lwr Mosley St/Mcr Central

Oxford Rd

Central Library

The Midland Hotel

One St Peter’s Square Manchester

Piccadilly

PETER ST

MO

UN

T ST

PRINCESS ST

OXFO

RD ST

WHITWORTH ST

FAIRFIELD STPORTL

AND ST

PORTL

AND ST

PICADILLY

AY

TOU

N ST

WINDMILL ST

WG

15 minute w

alk

Manchester CentralBridgewater HallCentral LibraryTown HallManchester Art GalleryPalace TheatreHOME ManchesterMr Cooper’s House & GardenHawksmoorAustralasiaHome Sweet HomeRadisson Albert’s SchlossAlbert HallThe Midland HotelPalace Hotel

8 mins walk to Deansgate

6 mins walk to Oxford Rd Station

36 mins by train to Manchester Airport from Mcr Oxford Rd

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3 minute walk

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Mark Bamber 0161 833 0023

L I @WindmillGreenNW

LETTING ENQUIRIES:

A DEVELOPMENT BY

Josh Levy 0161 228 6411

WINDMILLGREEN.COM

WINDMILLGREEN.COM